Prepare yourself now for relaxation by coming into Shavasana.
Get whatever you need to be completely comfortable for the next few minutes.
A blanket,
Eye pillow,
Or something under your knees.
We will be guiding you into Yoga Nidra,
Or yogic rest and integration.
There is no need to listen to our words and nothing to do,
But rest and allow the benefits of yoga to sink deep into every cell and fiber of your being.
We will guide you through conscious relaxation of the five koshas,
Or layers,
That house the multidimensional self,
Allowing each kosha to rest in the element in which it lives.
We will begin with the physical body,
The annamaya kosha.
Let your body,
Your corporeal mass,
Be what it is,
Earth and water.
Let the muscles and organs fall from the bones.
With your awareness,
See if you can feel and contact the gentle pull of gravity.
Be aware of this subtle centrifugal force that holds your physical body to the earth.
Surrender your body mass to the gentle tug of gravity.
Reduce any effort or resistance to gravity in any way,
Letting your skin and muscles and bones sink into this steady pull to the earth.
Feel any facial expression melt away as your skin drips like melting wax toward the ground.
Surrender your body to the place of its origin,
The earth.
Let the water of your body flow back to the ocean and evaporate into sky.
Allow your bones to sink back into the earth as you drop into complete physical relaxation.
The next kosha is the layer of the breath,
The pranamaya kosha.
Allow your breath to be its simple natural breath,
The breath of your restful sleeping,
Like the waves of the ocean,
An eternal in and out,
Ebb and flow.
Your inhale,
A wave coming into shore.
Your exhale,
A wave running back to sea,
Eternal,
Forever,
In and out,
Back and forth.
A wave of creation.
Every gentle breath draws you deep into rest,
An effortless rise and fall of infinite breath.
Bringing us to the layer of mind,
The manomaya kosha.
Let the mind be free.
Lift all restrictions on thought.
Allow the mind to be itself without any task or purpose.
Let the mind roam as if dreaming,
Floating here,
Drifting there,
With no need to control it or comment on it.
Clouds floating through the sky,
Thoughts come,
Thoughts go,
Unfettered mind.
With the mind free,
We drop behind the mind to the layer of the higher mind,
The witness self,
The vijnanamaya kosha,
The self that is always present when mind is free,
Watching,
Quiet,
Seated in eternal now,
No place to go and nothing to do,
Present moment experience,
Rest and peace.
From here we move beyond the beyond to the layer of bliss called the ananda maya kosha.
Let the infinite awareness that you are expand out in every direction,
Effortlessly,
Including everyone and everything.
Reduce any effort,
Anywhere,
As you continue to expand in every direction into the infinite cosmos,
Including everyone and everything,
All that is,
And beyond even that,
And that,
And beyond that.
Gently now,
Over the next few exhalations,
Let the breath deepen.
Feel the belly rise as you inhale,
And feel the release on the exhalation.
Bring movement once again to the feet,
And begin to wiggle first the big toes,
Then second,
Third,
Fourth,
And baby toes.
Become aware of the hands resting on the ground.
Sense subtle movement in the thumbs,
Index fingers,
Third,
Ring,
And pinky fingers.
Let movement flow slowly up the arms and legs,
Circling the ankles,
Wrists,
Elbows,
Knees.
If you wish,
Raise the arms along the floor overhead,
And feel your body stretching in opposite directions,
Yawn and breathe.
Bending your legs slowly up toward your chest,
Roll yourself over to one side,
And curl up in a little fetal position.
Once again,
Invite the breath into the back body on inhalation,
And into the front body on exhalation.
Rest here for a few moments.
Using your top hand,
Press it into the earth to help bring you upright to a comfortable seated position.
Return to dirgha or ujjayi breath.
At this time,
Begin the practice of metta,
Loving-kindness meditation,
Sending metta resolves to all beings.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be peaceful.
May all have ease of well-being.
May all beings live in harmony and grace.
May all beings be free.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be peaceful.
May all have ease of well-being.
May all beings live in harmony and grace.
May all beings be free.
